Alain Adler is Vice Chairman of Watercoolers Europe and Chairman of the Belgian Watercooler Association. Alain’s wide range of professional experience, including being member of an Arbitration Council and Director and Partner at Sip-Well,  makes him a valuable  resource to any company or association related to the water cooler sector. WE spoke with him about topical challenges and opportunities of the Belgian Association.

• WE

  When was the Belgian Watercooler Association established? How and when did you realize that your local industry needed such an Association?

• Alain Adler

  Although Belgium, with around 11 million inhabitants, is at the centre of European affairs, it is not a large country. We have however quite a few active players in the water cooler industry and it became obvious that it would be most beneficial to group all the players in an association in order to protect the interests of the industry, as well as to keep everybody aware of market developments. The Belgian Watercooler Association (www.bwa-coolers.be) was thereby established in 1997 to ensure that its water cooler and the POU water cooler branch members maintain the highest standards of quality, safety, hygiene and ethical conduct, supplying products of premium quality and an irreproachable service.

• WE

  What are your members’ main concerns when it comes to the industry in Belgium?

• Alain Adler

  Everybody in the industry is aware of the changes and developments in the market. Costs go up, customer prices are under pressure and regulations are becoming tougher and tougher. As an industry association, it is our responsibility to keep our members informed of everything that could affect their operational activities.

• WE

  Can you give us an overview of the Belgian water cooler market? Are there any unique features in this market?

• Alain Adler

  Several companies are very active in our water cooler industry, that is (in order of size): Sip-Well, Culligan, AquaVital, Globe, Kalimba, Pure Service and Jomaco. Belgium is a small country with a very high population density. Eleven million inhabitants occupy an area of 30 thousand km², with the industrial heart of the country spread over the Brussels, Antwerp and Ghent triangle. When you factor in the three different communities - the Flemish, the French and the German - you can appreciate the complexity and the uniqueness of the country and the market.

• WE

  In your opinion, have sales in Belgium already reached their pinnacle?

• Alain Adler

  I strongly believe that there is still huge potential for growth in Belgium. The residential market is still untouched and is becoming increasingly open to the idea of having a water cooler at home. POU is still a growing market. Water cooler distributors in Belgium are embracing the POU as well as the bottles and therefore healthy growth is still possible, even if market conditions are tough. Innovation and good positive marketing are the keys for delivering strong growth. If one combines POU, the residential market, innovation and positive marketing, then a lot of growth is still on the cards. We have not yet reached the pinnacle, not by far.

• WE

  Are there any issues that keep recurring in your market, or that are similar to those in other European countries?

• Alain Adler

  Belgium is subject to the same influences as other countries. The challenge remains that as time goes by, expenses go up and income per cooler goes down. I still remember bottles being sold at 10 - 11 € back in 1995. Some people still dream of these prices. If nothing is done to stop the negative spiral in which some companies find themselves, they are destined to go bankrupt. One can save as much money as possible, but there is a limit to saving only. The savings and increased efficiency need to be backed up by new products and creativity. New products, marketing, a good sales organization, customer service and satisfaction and devoted personnel are the key drivers of growth.

• WE

  Have you learned any valuable lessons from your business partners in other countries?

• Alain Adler

  I am regularly in touch with players in other countries and companies. One can always learn from the way others work. Sometimes it can be a matter of a detail, such as placing a mirror in a dead corner of your warehouse to avoid accidents with the forklift. Every country has its own characteristics and it is hard to draw too many comparisons between countries. Nevertheless, water cooler companies face the same challenges i.e. traffic, deliveries, customer satisfaction, bottling challenges, summer/winter variations and so on. Therefore any exchange of information and views between colleagues on non-competitive issues is always welcome. Sip-Well has welcomed visitors from the UK, Mauritius, Spain, Austria, Malta, Hungary, Germany, Switzerland, The Netherlands, Turkey and Jordan. We maintain good relationships with all of them.

• WE

  Speaking of the Belgian market in particular, can you see a future for bottled water coolers and POUs? Which sector would you say is likely to have a brighter future?

• Alain Adler

  I will surprise many of you: Bottled water has a bright future and yes, the POU will grow at a healthy speed and will find its way in the market. Having said that, I strongly believe that the bottled water market can only grow well if one finds a conduit to the private consumer. We at Sip-Well, for instance, have championed the 10-litre bottle as well as our SublimO water cooler that serves the residential market. Supported by large advertising campaigns on 3 major TV channels and 20m² billboard campaigns, we have achieved success way beyond our expectations. This proves to us that there is a market out there waiting to be captured. So yes, the bottled water cooler industry still has a lot of potential.

• WE

  As the Belgian Association (BWA) is a member of Watercoolers Europe, what do you think about WE’s Code of Good Hygienic Practice?

• Alain Adler

  The mission of BWA is to ensure that its members offer their clients the highest standards of quality, hygiene and ethical conduct, which are reflected in the quality of their products and services. For that reason we encourage all of our members to send their employees to Hygienic Awareness workshops. This should be a ‘must’ for everybody who starts working in our industry. That is not all. The BWA is a strong believer in having its members audited to ensure they comply with the rules and regulations set up by WE. We feel that these audits should be viewed as a way of helping our members to improve their operations. Viewed like that, everyone comes out of such audits wiser and more efficient.

• WE

  What is the BWA approach to training and workshops?

• Alain Adler

  The BWA has joined forces with the Dutch water cooler organization, the AWCN, in order to provide the necessary training to its members.

• WE

  What would your advice be to suppliers who want to enter the Belgian market? How can your organization help them in this venture?

• Alain Adler

  The BWA has several meetings a year and would be willing to provide suppliers with the opportunity to present their products to our members.

• WE

  What type of business practices do you think could benefit the water cooler industry in Europe?

• Alain Adler

  I believe that the water cooler industry has evolved tremendously since its origins in the early 90s. Every company has become more professional. Automatic route planning, handhelds for deliveries, customer satisfaction programs, cooler service, all of these are way more developed than in the past and have become quite sophisticated. Some ideas were taken from other industries and adapted to ours. Courier companies, for example, are facing challenges similar to ours. The vending industry has some challenges that are similar to ours. The list is endless. We need to be open-minded, learn from what others are doing and integrate new ideas and products.

• WE

  To conclude, is there anything Watercoolers Europe can do for the Belgian Association?

• Alain Adler

  Watercoolers Europe is the umbrella organization protecting the industry and advancing common interests. It is like having an insurance. If you don’t have any issues, you may wonder what purpose it serves. But when there are issues, then you are glad that there are professional people who know what they are talking about and can help you. Believe me, there is a lot of knowledge within WE and this is the reason why water cooler industry members can continue to work with peace of mind, knowing that their interests are being looked after.

Past interviews

• 

  Shirley Cohen

  VP Operations Eden Springs

• 

  Alex Mezquida

  Board Member of Watercoolers Europe and Training & Audit Manager at Laboratorio Dr. Oliver Rodés

• 

  Sergio Pérez

  Chairman of ADEAC, Spanish National Association

• 

  Gustav F. Felix

  WE-Director General, Chairman of ABWA and Managing Director of GWCA